van kirk



( No Model.)

A. B. VAN KIRK. BASEL.

NA PETERS Phuwmmgnpmr. wamingnm D c,

UNITED 'STATES AGNES E. VAN KIRK,

PATENT Ormes.

OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

EASEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 260,068, Vdated .Tune 27, 1882.

. Application filed J' une 6, 1881.

make and use the saine, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of thisspecitication.

The object of my invention is to make an easel some parts ot' which will slide into others, so 'that it may be converted into a walking-stick or staE for the artist while in the country on sketching expeditions, and which will serve all the purposes of an ordinary easel, either for sketching or work in the studio.

Figure l shows the easel when adjusted ready foruse. Fig. 2 isa sectional view of a cane or walking-stick formed b y closing the easel. Fig'. 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view cut through the linesm in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a central sectional view of Fig. 3, showing the groove e, the spring-catch d, and the button d'. Fig. 5 is an enlarged horizontal sectional View cut through the lines y yin Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is an enlarged side View of Fig. 5, showing the lugfand the bend in the slot c. Fig. 7 is a front View of a hinge, E, by which the standards A B vare connected together at the top.. Fig. 8 is a top view ot the same. Fig. 9 shows a clamp, F, to be used instead of the ordinary pegs or for other purposes. Fig. 10 shows the cross-piece J.

My improved easel and walkingstick combined, when small, is composed of three parts, as well as when it is to be used as a staii' of any size; but when the easel is large, and is also to be used as a walking-stick or cane, it may be made of six parts, as hereinafter described.

The four principal parts, which form the front standards, AAB, may be made of bamboo or any other suitable wood; but bamboo is most desirable when it can be obtained, as it is already hollow, and the easel can be manufactured for less than it would cost when made of other material.

The two outside parts, A A, are semi-cylindrical, and when placed together, with the iiat (No model.)

sides joining, will form a round stick or cane. They are also hollow, so as to receive theother parts of the easel. Near the small or upper end a groove, e, about olle-half inch in width and one inch in length, may be made in each of thein. To strengthenthem, and for the purpose of attaching the upper parts, B B, the holloWs may be lined with drawn brass tubing o'r other metal.

-The metal lining may have one or more grooves, a., extending from the lower ends nearly to the top, and ending in a slot directly' over the groove e in the Wood. The large or lower ends may be of brass or other metals, tapered to a point, b, and having threads b', so that a cap, H, having threads, may be used as the head of the cane. The small or upper end may also be ot' metal, having threads to permit a ferrule, G, to be put onV the small end. V

The cap and ferrule'v will hold 4the parts rmly when the easel is closed to form the cane, as shown in Fig. 2. rlhe two intermediate pieces, B B, which form the upper parts of the front standards, are also hollow and semi-cylindrical. They are made of a size to lit neatly in the hollow ot the outside pieces, A A. These parts may be also lined with metal, if necessary, to strengthen them. Near the lower ends they are slotted, and lthrough the slots a spring-metal slide and catch, d, eX- tends, to which a small knob or button, d', is attached.

yThe slide d is made to t in the groove a in the metal lining ot' the outside parts, A A, and

when the pieces B B are drawn up, so as to eX- tend the 'standards A B, the slide d will slip along the groove ci until it reaches the slot over the small groove ein the wood, when the sprin g will force the catch on the slide through the slot into the groove e back of the metal, and the pieces A B may be secured by sliding the parts B B down until the catch d is iirmly caught in the groove c. 1 do not, however, conne myself to a single groove, slide, and catch, as one or more may be used; neither do I limit myself to having the parts A B lined with metal, or to this particular way of attaching them together, as they may be made entirely of 10c The two inside pieces, C D, which form the back standard of the easel, may be made either of wood or of metal, and may be cylindrical or semi-cylindrical; but I have shown them as made of metal in a cylindrical form. The larger one, C, may be made of drawn brass or other metal tubing ot' a size to slip into the hollow of the intermediate parts B B. This piece C has a slot, c, extending from near the lower end almost to the top, where it curves and turns down. The smaller part, D, slides into the piece C, and has a short lug,f, coming out only far enough to be even with the surface when in the slot c, as shown in Fig. 6. This piece D has also a short curve at the upper end, and terminates in a hook, so that it may he fastened to an eye, IL, which connects the parts of the hinge E, as hereinafter' described. The curve, which is clearly shown in Fig. 7, is made t0 permit the inside pieces, C D, to turn directly into the hollow of the intermediate parts, B B, when the easel is closed. The back standard is adjusted by drawing the piece D up until the lugf has reached the eX- treme end of the slot c, as shown in Fig. 6. The front standards, A B, are connected at the top by a hinge,E. (Shown in Figs. 7 and 8.) This hinge is pivoted on two pieces of metal, E', attached to the wood by screws. The pivots y g will allow the front standards ot' the easel to swing outwardly or inwardly, as desired. The pin connecting the two parts ot' the hinge E has an eye, h, at its lower end, into which the hook at the end of the piece D is linked, so that it may swing backward.

The easel may be closed by loosening the catch d, which is done by sliding the pieces B B up and pulling on the buttons d d', and also pulling the part D ofthe back standard np, so that the lugf will slide down the slot c. When the upper parts have all been slipped down into the corresponding lower pieces the short curve in the piece D will turn into a space cut in the wood,so that the inside pieces will bein the hollow ofthe intermediate pieces, B B, and the hinge E will allow all parts to close together with the lat sides joining. The cane is then made complete by putting the cap H on the large end and the t'errule G on the small end, as shown in Fig. 2.

lVhen the easel is made small or is to be used as a stattl it may be made of. three parts hinged together at the top in the manner above described. The cap H and ferrule G may then be put on, so as to hold the parts firmly when closed.

Fig. 9 shows a clamp, F, which may he used instead of the ordinary pegs,or for the purpose ot' attaching au artists convenience or similar device. This clamp is made so that the sides n n are adjustable, and may be secured at any desired height on the standards by means ot' a thumb-screw, i. The form ofthe front part of the clamp may be varied according to the purpose for which itis to be used, the one shown being made to connect with a hinged metal slide shown in my previous application for a patent for a combined artists case and easel, anda section ot' which slide I is shown in Fig. 9.

Fig. 10 shows a semi-cylindrical cross-piece, J, which is made of very thin metal, and tits between the intermediate piece, BB, andthe inside picce C when the easel is closed; but when it is adjusted this piece may rest upon the clamps F and be used for the purpose of supporting the sketch-block.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, in an easel, ot' several parts jointed at their upper ends, and carrying and sliding in semi-tubular parts adapted,when brought together, to conceal and inclose the other portions, and cap and end pieces, forming, with the folded parts, a walking-stick, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of the parts A B, forming the front standards ot' an easel when connected together by means ot' the spring slide and catch d' in the groove a, substantially as set forth.l

3. The combination, in au easel, of the semicylindrical parts A B, connected to slide one within the other, and the parts D C, forming the back standards of an easel, consisting of tubes sliding one within the other and adapted to be inclosed by the parts A B when the latter are together, substantially as described.

4. The clamp F, having the thumb-nut i, whereby it may be adjusted and secured at any desired height on the standards of an easel and serve the purpose ot' the ordinary pegs, and also be used for attaching a board or case for holding the paints and brushes, substanf tially as described.

AGNES E. VAN KIRK.

Witnesses:

W. E. MACKENNA, GHAs. H. HALLooK.

IOO 

